the Effect of Mindfulness Interventions Based on Stress Reduction on Improving Parenting Styles in Parents of ADHD Children

Background &

On the other hand, research has shown that children's disorders are closely related to parents' psychological problems and their educational methods. The role of the family as the first educational environment in creating or not creating behavioral disorders, and the emergence of diseases and mental disorders is undeniable. Because the family environment is the first environment where a person's physical, emotional, and personality patterns grow and gradually form. Therefore, considering the effect of these children on their parents, as well as the effect of parents' parenting style on the aggravation of symptoms of hyperactivity/attention deficit and the lack of research related to the effect of stress-based mindfulness training on the mothers of these children, designing and implementing various interventions to create and expand skills Social skills and abilities are very important in these children, and on the other hand, having an ADHD child is a source of stress. However, its effect on parents depends to a large extent on their cognitive evaluation of the problem and their skills and training. One of the training methods that can be used for such mothers is stress-based awareness training. This therapy is derived from cognitive behavioral therapy and is considered one of the important components of the third wave of psychological models. Mindfulness-based on stress reduction reduces stress and anxiety, reduces chronic physical pain, increases immunity, ability to deal with problems, ability to face negative emotions, reduces insomnia, and improves focus, happiness, and well-being. Mindfulness means paying attention to specific purposeful ways in the present and free from judgment. The conscious mind focuses on the process of continuous attention, rather than the content that is being paid attention to. Therefore, according to the stated content and the lack of research related to mindfulness interventions based on stress reduction in the community of parents with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the purpose of this research is to answer the question of whether mindfulness interventions based on stress reduction improve the style of the parenting of ADHD children effective.

The current research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group, which was approved by the Code of Ethics Commission of the Islamic Azad University, Torbat Jam branch, with the code of ethics IR.IAU.TJ.REC.1399.010. The statistical population of this study was made up of all mothers with children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder who were referred to Mashhad psychotherapy clinics in 2016-2017. From this community, 30 mothers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were selected purposefully and voluntarily and were randomly replaced in the experimental group and the control group (15 people in each group). At first, the subjects responded to Diana Baumrind's parenting styles questionnaire (1972) (pre-test), then the experimental group underwent 9 sessions of mindfulness-based on Kabat and Zain's (2004) stress reduction, and the control group received an intervention. They did not At the end, both groups responded to the research tools. The collected data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance.

The results showed that mindfulness interventions based on stress reduction have an effect on the parenting styles of mothers and have caused an increase in permissive and authoritative styles and a decrease in authoritarian styles.

One of the common and usual challenges of parents with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, especially those who are facing many medical and therapeutic issues, is facing the problems of these children and how to perceive them. In this regard, it can be said that the healthy behavior of parents with hyperactive children is due to their correct perception of this disorder and the correct way to deal with it. Parents have a dynamic and active role in understanding the problems of their children, and with proper educational methods, they can help in reducing the symptoms of these children's problems and their problems. Therefore, it is necessary to provide treatment solutions to deal with this disorder correctly. Parents can help improve the symptoms of these patients and reduce their problems by learning the right methods. Among the treatment methods that can be effective in improving the symptoms of hyperactivity disorder and reducing the stress of their parents, is the stress reduction program based on mindfulness. This treatment is a short-term and structured intervention. Mindfulness-based stress reduction program is defined as a non-judgmental and balanced feeling of awareness that helps to see and accept emotions and physical phenomena as they happen. The stress reduction program based on mind awareness creates a different attitude or relationship with thoughts, feelings, and emotions, which includes maintaining full and moment-to-moment attention and having an attitude of acceptance and away from judgment. Through exercises and techniques based on mindfulness, a person becomes aware of his daily activities and the automatic use of the mind in the past and future world, through moment-to-moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, and states. The physical will gain control over them and be freed from the everyday and automatic mind focused on the past and the future. Mindfulness exercises enable a person to reduce automatic and habitual responses to stressful experiences and activate the response system by cultivating an inner insight and accepting it more than life's unchangeable events. It will reduce stress and this will increase personal control. Treatment control and cognitive therapy help them. Therefore, it can be concluded that mindfulness interventions based on stress reduction are effective in improving the parenting styles of parents of ADHD children. The limitations of this research include the lack of a follow-up period and the special and difficult conditions of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and it is suggested that the results of this research be used as a basis for future studies in the field of learning effective training programs. Child parenting and parenting styles, parents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder should be used. Also, it is suggested that the officials and those involved should plan a comprehensive treatment for these patients and their parents.